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Can System Builders Turn to Ubuntu?

Late last month, Ubuntu 8.04 arrived on the scene, right on time, right on its six-month refresh cycle and readily available via a simple ISO image file download. While that may have been big news for the Linux community, the question remains, what if any impact will this latest release have on mainstream computer users?

For the majority of PC users, the impact will probably be nil. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an opportunity here for solution providers and system builders. But first they have to contemplate Ubuntu being a viable alternative to Microsoft’s family of Windows products. And that may be a big leap for many to make.

While hundreds of case studies, articles and training sessions have all shown that Linux can be a viable alternative, the simple fact remains, users are not flocking to it! Can this latest Ubuntu distribution change that? Probably not! But, the ranks of Windows users are becoming more and more disenchanted every day! There are those that shun Windows Vista (in any form), there are those still investing in Windows XP, and there are those that are just plain trapped by Windows Operating Systems and associated line of business applications. And that may be where the opportunity is for solution providers looking to think outside the box!

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‘Governments should have a free software policy’

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Over the years I've found that a significant hurdle to getting family and friends to switch to Linux comes from its lack of familiarity. This is especially true when it comes to troubleshooting any issues. Obviously, when a malfunction occurs it's not always possible to be there in person.
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Photoshop competitor Krita is a true creative tool -- and it's free and open source

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Firefox OS heading for Africa — and the U.S. too

Orange announced a $40 “Klif” Firefox OS phone for Africa, and Mozilla says it’s working with Verizon Wireless and others on Firefox OS feature phones.
There’s still no evidence that Mozilla’s HTML-focused Firefox OS has made much of a dent in the world smartphone market, where it has been focused on low-end devices sold primarily to emerging markets. Yet, Firefox OS still leads the way among upstart, Linux-based mobile operating systems, and will soon be available in more than 40 markets, this year, on a total of 17 smartphones, according to its latest stats. Meanwhile, the very first Tizen (Samsung Z1) and Ubuntu (BQ Aquaris E4.5) phones have only just shipped, and Jolla’s Sailfish OS based Jolla phones are still mostly limited to Europe.

Why large companies use open source ERP

The main reason larger companies use open source Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is because they are cheaper and easier to customize.